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Depart from Osaka by train for a full-day walking tour that visits Himeji in Hyogo prefecture. Visit its top attraction, Himeji Castle, then enjoy a lunch buffet that features both Japanese and Western cuisines. Afterward, continue to Akashi Kaikyo Bridge—the longest suspension bridge in the world. Walk along Maiko Marine Promenade, a passageway underneath the bridge's roadway on the Kobe side. Experience an in-depth introduction to these Japanese treasures as travel with your expert guide on foot and by train.

Highlights

Full-day walking tour of Himeji, by rail from Osaka

Follow an experienced guide on foot to Himeji Castle, a UNESCO World Heritage site and national treasure built in 1580

Enjoy a lunch buffet featuring both Japanese and Western cuisines

See views from the Akashi Kaikyo Bridge as you stroll its interior Maiko Marine Promenade

Ride the JR rapid rail round-trip from Osaka

What You Can Expect

Akashi Kaikyo Bridge

Meet your guide at Hotel Granvia Osaka in the morning, then head to Osaka station to take your non-reserved seat on the JR Shinkansen for a 30-minute train ride to Himeji station.

From the station, walk for a few minutes to reach Himeji Castle, a UNESCO World Heritage site. The national treasure is also known as Shirasagi Castle (White Heron Castle), as it resembles a white heron in flight. For about two hours, your guide shows you around the sprawling five-story complex. Admire the detailed artistry of the 14th-century castle and hear about feudal times in Japan.

Next, step outside on the grounds of Himeji Castle to relax over a diverse lunch buffet with both Japanese and Western fares.

Sated, you will depart Himeji on the JR Special Rapid Service or Rapid Service (non-reserved seat) and head to Maiko station, located just a short walk from Akashi Kaikyo Bridge. Peruse the exhibits in the Bridge Exhibition Center to learn about more about this suspension bridge, which stretches 12,828 feet (3,910 meters) between the city of Kobe and Awaji-shima Island.

Your guide then takes you for a stroll on the Maiko Marine Promenade, an observation walkway with sections of glass flooring through which you can glimpse the waters of Akashi Strait below your feet. The promenade is located under the bridge roadway, 154 feet (47 meters) above the water, and offers another perspective on the bridge and its surroundings.

After visiting the bridge, return via train to Kyoto Station when your tour ends in the early evening.

Please note: A minimum of 2 people per booking is required.

Customer Reviews

Very educational. It afforded us to have various glimpses of the beautiful Himeji Castle -- from afar and up close-- and enough time to explore inside. The tour of the Akashi Kaikyo Bridge was also an exhilarating experience. Very good, efficient tour guide as well. The lunch was superb!

The tour guide, Seiko, was absolutely brilliant with the entire group. She was always willing to take photos, answer questions, and truly her English was amazing. On the way back she even helped us figure out the best way to get to Kyoto at the time of night we would be traveling. Truly a STAR.

I really liked the structure of the tour as well because it meant that we got to board one of the bullet trains and experience the Japanese rail network. The sites were pretty incredible on top of everything else and well worth the visit. The only thing we didn't love was the hotel lunch but that's pretty standard on a tour like this so not that disappointing. Overall we had a great time, got great advice and input from the amazing tour guide, and were treated to a really great outing from Osaka.

We really enjoyed this tour - this is a smaller group, only 6 of us 2 other couples plus us, so tour quite intimate, and our guide was able to customize and explain things more in detail. Plus we only visit mainly 1 spot - Himeji Castle, so we really get to learn inside and out about the castle in depth. The Akashi Kaikyo Bridge is all right, nothing too glamorous. The lunch buffet is also quite nice - nice ambience, and enough time for us to eat, chat and mingle. Overall, I find this tour quite relaxing, not as rushed as other tours. Our guide very friendly and knowledgable. Will recommend this tour to others.

It felt the guide was just there babysitting us. The tour title is Himeji, Koko en garden and Akashi..when I asked her about Koko en garden which we didn't visit by the way she said that was not included. Myself and another person told her that is included as per the title, her reply is that there is nothing to see there. It also felt she was always directing us towards the souvenir shops as if she is to get a commission. Not much informative tour and like I said she was mainly there with us as a babysitter as opposed to an informational tour guide.